Improbable would be an appropriate word to describe what happened Sunday in Baltimore. Despite facing deficits of 14 and 15 points at three different points in Week 10, the Browns rallied to post a 33-31 win over the AFC North rival Ravens. Cleveland, which trailed 31-17 with less than a minute into the fourth quarter, completed the comeback when Dustin Hopkins drilled a 40-yard field goal as time expired.
The Browns' comeback was fueled by Deshaun Watson, a punishing running game and a defense that came up with several big plays. The biggest of them was defensive back Greg Newsome II's pick-six of Lamar Jackson midway through the fourth quarter.
Hopkins, who missed the ensuing point-after attempt that would've tied it, redeemed himself by hitting the game-winning field goal. The Browns got into position for it after three big plays by Watson and a 12-yard run by Jerome Ford. Watson, who briefly left the game with an injury, completed 20 passes on the day (he completed each of his 14 pass attempts in the second half) that included six apiece to Amari Cooper and David Njoku.
The win moved the Browns to 6-3, while the Ravens fell to 7-3 and in the process missed a golden chance to further distance themselves from Cleveland in the division standings.
Why the Browns won
The Browns' defense made up for the splash plays they allowed by coming up with several huge stops in the second half. The biggest play was Newsome's pick-six of Jackson that made it a one-point game.
On offense, the Browns received a gritty effort by Watson, who recorded his biggest win as a member of the Browns. He received plenty of help from Cooper, Njoku and running backs Ford and Kareem Hunt. He also got a huge assist from Hopkins, who made up for his missed point-after attempt after Newsome's score by drilling four field goals that included the game-winning kick as time expired.
Why the Ravens lost
Baltimore may never wrap its heads around this one. It lost despite getting a pick-six from Kyle Hamilton on the game's first play, holding the Browns to 0 of 3 in the red zone in the first half, getting a 39-yard touchdown run by Keaton Mitchell, a 40-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Odell Beckham Jr. and an inexcusable fumble by former Raven James Proche II that set up Gus Edwards' touchdown run that gave the Ravens a 14-point lead less than four minutes into the fourth quarter.
Edwards' score should have been the proverbial nail in the coffin. Instead, Baltimore's top-ranked scoring defense allowed Watson to complete three big passes on Cleveland's ensuing drive that included a nifty touchdown pass to Elijah Moore to make it a 31-24 game.
The Ravens' offense then came up empty on their ensuing drive after Newsome's pick while giving the Browns the ball back with enough time to win the game in regulation, which is exactly what happened.
Turning point
Moore's touchdown was huge, but Newsome's pick-six emphatically put the momentum in Cleveland's favor. Newsome's first career pick came off Ogbo Okoronkwo's timely pass deflection.
Play of the game
Consecutive runs of 16 yards by Jackson and 12 yards by Ford on the Browns' final drive deserve mention. But the play of the game has to be Hopkins' clutch, game-winning field goal mere moments after his missed extra point.
Quotable
"He battled through an ankle injury in the second half. ... He's a warrior." -- Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said of Watson (via Cleveland.com), who missed the final play of the first half before playing the entire second half.
What's next
Baltimore has a short week before hosting the Bengals on Thursday night. The Ravens edged the Bengals back in Week 2 on the strength of safety Geno Stone's end zone pick of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow that set up the first of Lamar Jackson's two touchdown passes. Cincinnati fell to 5-4 after losing at home Sunday against the Texans.
The Browns will return home to host their longtime rival, the Steelers, who used two defensive touchdowns to edge Cleveland back in Week 2. Pittsburgh is also 6-3 after edging the Packers at home on Sunday.